In parliamentary systems of government, the loyal opposition are members of the opposition parties in the legislature. The word loyal indicates that the non-governing parties may oppose the actions of the sitting cabinet while remaining loyal to the formal source(s) of the government’s power, such as a monarch or constitution.
A similar concept can be extended to republics where members of the majority and minority parties both remain loyal to the Constitution even if they do not always choose to work with each other. That mutual loyalty to the Constitution and its amendments can be the foundation stone for our Republic.
This material is taken from our online glossary. It is a growing collection of terms that you may find useful in thinking about our system of government.
Image: U.K. House of Commons